pseudocarp

9.9

A fruit like an apple or strawberry that forms mostly from parts of the flower outside the ovary

noun
/ˈsuːdəˌkɑrp/

Specialized

: pseudocarpio

A strawberry is a classic example of a pseudocarp due to its unique botanical structure.

Examples

The apple is considered a pseudocarp because much of its flesh develops from tissues outside the ovary.
Botanists often contrast pseudocarps with 'true fruits,' which form solely from the ovary.
A pseudocarp can be found in many fruits.
Did you know that a strawberry is a pseudocarp?
A strawberry is a classic example of a pseudocarp due to its unique botanical structure.
The apple is considered a pseudocarp because much of its flesh develops from tissues outside the ovary.
Botanists often contrast pseudocarps with 'true fruits,' which form solely from the ovary.

Synonyms

false fruit

vspseudocarp

Specialized

1 7.6

A fruit like an apple or pear whose edible part comes from other flower parts

is the same concept expressed by an alternate common name

accessory fruit

vspseudocarp

Specialized

1 8.4

A fruit whose flesh comes from flower parts, like an apple or strawberry

is the same concept expressed by a different technical term

Surface Forms

pseudocarp singular

pseudocarps plural

Morphology

pseudocarp = carp (opaque) = pseudo + carp

Although the prefix pseudo- is transparent as 'false,' the second element is a bound botanical combining form, so the meaning is not easily recoverable for an average learner.

Etymology

The word pseudocarp comes from the Greek parts pseudo- meaning 'false' and karpos meaning 'fruit'. You know pseudo- from pseudonym, which means 'false name'. So a pseudocarp is a 'false fruit' — it looks like a fruit but much of its flesh comes from other flower parts, not the ovary, the part that makes seeds.